May 11, 2010

Actress and Animal Rights Activist Tippi Hedren Visits San Francisco

An excited crowd recently gathered at the Barry Barsamian Hollywood Legends Exhibitin the Metreon waiting for the arrival of movie star Tippi Hedren. Known for her roles in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic films The Birds and Marnie, Ms. Hedren has more recently turned her attentions to animal rights legislation and her wild cat sanctuary, Shambala.

Local notables such as Wilkes Bashford, Natalie Wood’s older sister, Olga and Kathy Garver (co-star in the 60s television show Family Affair) were among the crowd of 100 who toured the exhibit while enjoying champagne. Ms. Hedren arrived donning a long black gown with a short Edith Head jacket accessorized with a birds-in-flight brooch made of seed pearls set in gold. Petite and still a stunner, Ms. Hedren addressed the crowd sharing stories of how she was cast in The Birds and her passion for wild animals.

Ms. Hedren moved to Los Angeles from New York with her young daughter, Melanie Griffith in the early 60s. As a model, she also appeared in television commercials. It was Ms. Hedren in a diet drink commercial that caught the eye of Alfred Hitchcock. She was called in and offered a general contract to work with the legendary director. Ms. Hedren assumed she would work on Hitchcock's television show. Then came the screen tests. “Three days I went into Universal Studios,” said Ms. Hedren, sitting poised, her gloved hands in constant motion for emphasis. “I read from three scripts – Notorious, To Catch a Thief, and Rebecca.” Finally, Hitchcock and the producers offered Ms. Hedren the part of Melanie Daniels in The Birds and gifted her with the lovely bird brooch she still enjoys wearing today.

Since the early 80s Ms. Hedren has tirelessly worked to get legislation passed to ban keeping wild animals as pets. “It has become my mission to stop the insanity of wild cats as pets,” Ms. Hedren said. The Shambala Sanctuary is home to 61 tigers, leopards, and lions, including two lions from Michael Jackson’s private zoo. Ms. Hedren knows her position as a star has influence and she uses that influence to bring attention to her cause. “Everything that I’ve done in my life,” said Ms. Hedren, “was to lead me to my work with the animals.”